Cozying up with sacred writings has been a lifelong source of joy for me. It all began in grade school, when I memorized many of the parables in Aesop’s Fables. I was riveted by the idea that such a short string of words could convey so much meaning:
From Aesop (www.aesopfables.com)
1. “Sorrow not over what is lost forever.”
2. “Example is more powerful than precept.”
3. “Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.”
4. “To do the right thing at the right season is a great art.”
5. “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
Later, in high school, I was riveted by the Bible's aphoristic wisdom and memorized quite a few passages that remain in my memory to this day:
From the Bible (New International Version)
1. “Love one another.” (John 13:34)
2. “Overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
3. “I am the vine; you are the branches..” (John 15:5)
4. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
5. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
More recently, I have sought out Hindu wisdom from ancient India:
From Hinduism:
1. “Look to this day, for it is life, the very breath of life." (Ancient Sanskrit)
2. "You are eternal, and beyond eternity.” (Artharva Veda)
3. “The human body is the temple of God." (Rig Veda)
4. "I am indeed of this Supreme Eternal Self.” (Vijnanananka)
5. "The all-knowing Self was never born, nor will it die." (Katha Upanishad)
During each close encounter with sacred scripture, I open to sensing passages that resonate with depth of insight. I zero in on passages that draw me as a bee is drawn to nectar. This is where I get “soul-traction” in my spiritual study and reflection time. This is where Spirit can forge a bridge across the shadows of time and memory, making it possible to walk with and learn from the ancient wise ones.
What a precious opportunity we have to share in these spiritual “crown jewels” of the human experience! The world’s sacred writings have been widely available for only a mere sliver of all of human existence. Now these shining pearls are simply handed to us on the silver platter of fully translated wisdom.
The fact that such ancient teachings survived across time to reach us is a wonder in itself. When reading lengthy scriptures such as Hinduism’s Upanishads, it is mind-boggling to realize that these were passed along solely through an uninterrupted chain of oral transmission over hundreds of years—until words could be put on paper to preserve them following the invention of writing. The device of song-chants, with their systematic patterns of repetition, aided the astonishing feat of human memory that preserved these teachings, so they can be found on our bookshelves today.
I continue to explore a calling to uncover such nuggets in the world’s sacred writings. Future columns will include the results of these gleanings...portals to the wisdom of the ancients.
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